This invention relates to data strings, and more particularly, to encrypting and embedding information in data strings.
Databases are often used to store data that is accessed by applications. As applications access and process data from a database, it may become necessary for applications to store additional information in a database. For example, a cryptographic application may need to store information about cryptographic keys in a database containing data that to be encrypted. However, it can be difficult to add additional data fields to an existing database. For example, if a database is used to store medical records for an insurance company or credit card account information for a bank, it can be impractical to alter or add database fields while the database is being accessed in the course of daily operations.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a method for embedding information in data strings stored in a database without requiring significant modifications to the database.